Lamentations 3:21-24

It's amazing how suffering brings out a person's beliefs. It's in those trials that our faith is revealed. We have the option to trust the Lord or turn from Him. No other choice. I'm amazed at my friends' faith. They are giants in the way they trust the Lord. I only hope I can be like them when faced with life's storms. They truly are a testiment to the mighty steadfast love of Christ.

To give you a little background, Walt is one of my brother-in-laws best friends. In his and my sisters wedding, I met him and his wife, Lauren, while attending Ole Miss. They were seniors while I was a lowly freshman. But I looked up to them, but not as much as I do now.

Last week, they had their first child, Mary Elizabeth. They knew she wouldn't live long. God graciously gave them 7 hours with her. But what amazes me is Walt and Lauren's faith. Lauren sent out these prayer requests and verses a week before she gave birth.

The verses are such a testiment to their faith. And encouraged me in mine. I hope they speak to you as much as they did to me. It's kinda long...but so worth it.

Hymn of Trust – Jesus, Lover of my Soul

Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to thy bosom fly,

While the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high.

Hide me, O my Savior, hide, till the storm of life is past;

Safe into the haven guide; O receive my soul at last.

Other refuge have I none, hangs my helpless soul on thee;

Leave, ah! leave me not alone, still support and comfort me.

All my trust on thee is stayed, all my help from thee I bring;

Cover my defenseless head with the shadow of thy wing.

Thou, O Christ, art all I want, more than all in thee I find;

Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, heal the sick, and lead the blind.

Just and holy is thy name, I am all unrighteousness;

False and full of sin I am; thou art full of truth and grace.

Plenteous grace with thee is found, grace to cover all my sin;

Let the healing streams abound, make and keep me pure within.

Thou of life the fountain art, freely let me take of thee;

Spring thou up within my heart; rise to all eternity. 

Hymn of Trust – ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word;

Just to rest upon His promise; just to know, Thus saith the Lord.

O how sweet to trust in Jesus, just to trust His cleansing blood;  Just in simple faith to plunge me, 'Neath the healing, cleansing flood.

REFRAIN

    Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, How I've proved Him o'er and o'er,

    Jesus, Jesus, Precious Jesus!  O for grace to trust Him more.

Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus, Just from sin and self to cease;

Just from Jesus simply taking Life, and rest, and joy, and peace.

I'm so glad I learned to trust Thee, Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;

And I know that Thou art with me, Wilt be with me to the end.

Request One

That all people close to the situation would not miss the real spiritual presence of Jesus.  That all close friends and family present would be comforted and encouraged in new ways to the glory of the Father.

His Presence

Deuteronomy 31:6, 8  Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the LORD your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

Psalm 139:5, 7  You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?

Psalm 46:1-2, 7  God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear...The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Comfort and Encouragement

Psalm 71:3 Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

Psalm 94:18-19 When I thought, "My foot slips," your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up. ¹⁹ When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

Request Two

For supernatural strength and stamina for the whole family, for Walt and my parents especially.

2 Corinthians 12:9a  My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness."  

Isaiah 40:28-31  Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.  ²⁹ He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.  ³⁰ Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;  ³¹ but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Request Three

Rest for my mind when thinking about logistics and planning for people coming in town, timing of things etc. Sound sleep.

Psalm 4:8  In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Request Four

That God's will would be done with the delivery, either C-section or naturally (won't know until Monday, she is breech at this point.) That he would prepare me for challenges that either delivery brings.

And for physical & emotional healing post delivery.

John 14:27   Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Psalm 4:8 ...for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Isaiah 46:4 ...I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you...

Request Five

For our time with Mary Elizabeth, it could be minutes to hours.

Lamentations 3:21-24 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him."

Isaiah 30:18 Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion.

Matthew 11:28a Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Request Six

For God to continue to bless our marriage during this. (He has so much already!)

Psalm 27:4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.

 Psalm 51:8-12 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.  ⁹ Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.  ¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  ¹¹ Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.  ¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Request Seven

That in the months to come when dealing with grief, we would trust the lord with the future of our family and receive continued direction on our next steps. 

Job 21:1 Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.

Psalm 107:9 For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

Psalm 62:5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. ⁶ He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. ⁷ On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. ⁸ Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.

2 Samuel 23:5 "For does not my house stand so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure.

Encouraging words from Elisabeth Elliott:

The message of the cross is transformation.

We bring our sufferings, and Christ gives us joy.

We bring our pains, and He gives us comfort.

We bring our deaths, and He gives us life.

From Corrie Ten Boom:

There is no pit so deep that the love of God is not deeper still.

Hymn seeking his full grace – Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;

naught be all else to me, save that thou art –

Thou my best thought by day or by night,

waking or sleeping, they presence my light.

Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;

I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;

Thou my great Father, I thy true son;

thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,

thou mine inheritance, now and always;

Thou and thou only, first in my heart,

High King of heaven, my treasure thou art